Navratna Korma (Vegetable Korma) is a restaurant-style creamy dish made in Instant Pot by adding vegetables to a creamy sauce. This is another popular dish that can be made quickly in Instant Pot and I'm sure it's going to be your next favorite.
I like making Navratna Korma as it has lots of vegetables and yet tastes great. My husband is not a fan of mixed vegetables or any dish that has lots of vegetables. but this korma dish is one of his favorites. This recipe is supposed to be a little sweet, so I add honey at the end. But for making it Vegan you can also add sugar to it.
This is a colorful dish so I add as many vegetables as I can to make it more vibrant. All vegetables go so great in the dish because of its creamy flavor. I have included the healthier version of the dish too that still make the Korma creamy & buttery.
WHAT IS NAVRATNA/ VEGETABLE KORMA?
Navratna korma has roots of Muglai cuisine and is originated from the Indian subcontinent, consisting of meat or vegetables braised with yogurt (dahi) or cream, water or stock, and spices in a creamy sauce.
I make it using many different ways - by adding cashews, coconut milk, yogurt, or cream. You can use any of the ways to make thick & creamy Korma sauce. For making it Vegan, you can use Coconut milk or also add fresh coconut for extra creaminess in the recipe.
To make the dish healthy & still creamy I usually add Almond Flour or Cashew Paste while making the curry. This will curry creamy without using any cream in the curry.
WHY IS IT CALLED NAVRATNA KORMA?
Basically, Navratna means nine gems, meaning this recipe is made by using 9 different ingredients. Navratna korma is a vegetarian korma made with vegetables and paneer along with some nuts.
Navratna Korma is usually very creamy and an aromatic dish, with a little sweetness. As it is so rich in flavor, this dish is served in most restaurants in many parts of India, especially North India.
Everyone has different variations in making the recipe like some like adding Paneer, or nuts, or using cashews while making masala, saffron, or rose water, etc. I sometimes add cashews with tomatoes or add cashew paste at the end.
NAVRATNA KORMA INGREDIENTS
- TADKA: Any Indian curry starts with Indian Tadka ( onion-tomato masala). You can make it fresh by sauteing onions & tomatoes or use a frozen one.
- VEGETABLES: Use as many vegetables you want to make the curry more colorful. I usually add potatoes, bell peppers, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, etc. As it is a Shahi (luxurious) curry I also like added paneer to it.
- WHOLE SPICES: All Indian curries are aromatic so I add cardamoms, cloves, bay leaf, and cinnamon to the curry. This elevates the flavor and gives great flavor to the korma.
- NUTS: I either add cashew paste or almond flour in the curry. Along with that I also add some fried or roasted cashews, almonds, and raisins in the curry.
- SPICES: As the curry is so creamy, I don't usually add many spices. The milder the spices, the more flavorful the curry gets.
- CREAM: To make the curry creamier, add cream or coconut milk, or yogurt in the curry. To make it vegan, I add Coconut Milk instead.
- SWEETNESS: Vegetable is a little sweet in flavor, so I add Honey or Sugar or Sweetener or Agave Syrup in the korma.
TIPS TO REMEMBER FOR MAKING VEGETABLE KORMA
- The most important tip in making Navratna korma is not to overcook the vegetables, otherwise they'll turn mushy, and the recipe will not taste great.
- If adding cashews with onions & tomatoes in the masala, best to grind it smoothly and not using an immersion blender. Or you can use cashew paste by soaking Cashews for 30 minutes in water and later grind it smoothly.
- You can blend some whole spices with the masala, makes the recipe very aromatic. I usually add some green cardamoms and cloves in the recipe.
- Add honey or sugar for a little sweetness. But if you want, you can also skip it too.
- If you don't want to add cream and want a healthier option, then add 1-2 tablespoon of Almond Flour in the masala and saute for a couple of minutes. Adding Almond Flour gives a creamier texture to the curry.
HOW TO STORE NAVRATNA KORMA?
You can store in the refrigerator or in the freezer, the taste will remain the same. You can store leftover Navratna Korma (Vegetable Korma) in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. And in the freezer in a container for 1-2 months. Before using the freezer stored Vegetable Korma, just thaw and heat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stove-top until boiled.
You can also use leftover Navratna Korma (Vegetable Korma) to make a pulao by adding vegetables to rice. Or you can also make rolls from the leftover Vegetable Korma. Mash the korma using potato masher or fork and then add in the Indian Faltbread Or Burrito and serve with some Green Chutney.
- BUTTER PANEER
- KADAI PANEER
- SHAHI PANEER
- PANEER TIKKA MASALA
- MATAR PANEER
- PALAK PANEER
- CAULIFLOWER TIKKA MASALA
Instant Pot Navratna Korma
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 1 Cup Onion sliced
- 1 Cup Tomato Puree
- 1 tablespoon Ginger- Garlic Paste
- ½ Cup Water
VEGETABLES
- 1 Cup Cauliflower Florets
- 1 Cup Carrots
- 1 Potato cubed
- ½ Cup Green Beans
- ½ Cup Peas
WHOLE SPICES
SPICES
- Red Chilli Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- Salt
OTHERS
- Cream/ Coconut Milk
- 1 teaspoon Honey/ Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Cashew Paste/ 10 - 15 Whole Cashews
- ½ Cup Paneer cubes
- Cilantro to Garnish
Instructions
- Cashew Paste: Take Cashews in a bowl and add water, let it sit for 30 minutes and then grind it smoothly. Grind Cashews with ⅓ cup of water. Or you can also microwave cashews with water for 2-3 minutes, and let it rest for 15- 20 minutes and grind it smoothly.
HOW TO MAKE VEGETABLE KORMA IN INSTANT POT:
- Press Saute in Instant Pot and add oil to it. When the oil is hot, add Bay Leaf to the pot and let it fry for 1-2 minutes and then add onions to it. When Onion starts to change color, add tomato puree to it.
- Add Ginger- Garlic Paste and spices to the masala. Mix and add potatoes, stirring in between so that nothing gets stuck at bottom of the pot. (Note: Potatoes takes long to cook, so best to cook potatoes for 2-3 minutes and then add rest of the vegetables to the pot).
- Add all the remaining vegetables: Cauliflower, Peas, Green Beans, and Carrots or any other vegetable you feel like adding. Add whole spices tied in a muslin cloth in the pot. Give it a stir and add water to the pot. Close the lid and cancel Saute. (Note: In the muslin cloth, add cinnamon, cloves, and green cardamoms and tie a knot. If you add whole spices in a muslin cloth, they won't come in your bite but you'll still get the flavor in the dish).
- With vent at the sealing position pressure cook for 1 minute. When timer beeps, move vent to venting position and Quick Release.
- Once pressure is released, open lid and press Saute again. And add Paneer, Cream/Coconut Milk, Cashew Paste, and Honey/Sugar to the Pot. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes and garnish with Cilantro. Serve hot with Rice or Indian Flatbread.(Note: You can also add almond flour to make the curry creamy).
HOW TO MAKE VEGETABLE KORMA ON STOVE-TOP:
- At medium heat add oil in the skillet. When the oil is hot, add Bay Leaf to the pot and let it fry for 1-2 minutes and then add onions to it. When Onion starts to change color, add tomato puree to it.
- Add Ginger- Garlic Paste and spices to the masala. Mix and add all the remaining vegetables: Cauliflower, Peas, Green Beans, and Carrots or any other vegetable you feel like adding. Add whole spices tied in a muslin cloth in the pot. Give it a stir and add water to the pot (as needed). Cover the skillet using a lid and cook for 5-10 minutes until all the vegetables are cooked properly.(Note: In the muslin cloth, add cinnamon, cloves, and green cardamoms and tie a knot. If you add whole spices in a muslin cloth, they won't come in your bite but you'll still get the flavor in the dish).
- Once vegetables are cooked add Paneer, Cream/Coconut Milk, Cashew Paste, and Honey/Sugar to the Pot. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes and garnish with Cilantro. Serve hot with Rice or Indian Flatbread.(Note: You can also add almond flour to make the curry creamy).
Video
Notes
George
This turned out really good! I've always liked Navratan Korma, and my whole family loved it. I replaced the cauliflower with green bell peppers since I wanted to cut the vegetables small, and cauliflower florets are rather big! I also sauteed some cashews and raisins and added them instead of honey to give the Korma a touch of sweetness. All in all, a very tasty dish.
Monumetric
Thank you so much that means a lot. I'm really glad you liked it